Good morning!
Last week in youth group the high schoolers ate lasagna, assisted in a prank, and reflected on God's calling in their lives! After a quick bite to eat, we gathered up a wild amount of balloons, and finished up a loving prank on Pastor Eric that the middle schoolers started. If you’d like to read the backstory to that, feel free to go check out the middle school weekly debrief :) Regardless, it was a huge success. After that we gathered to pray for one another, and dove into Matthew 10 to talk about how Jesus prepared his disciples to go out into the world. If you take a moment to read Matthew 10, you’ll find that it’s not the most hopeful or encouraging scripture in the world. Jesus' call to his disciples was not an easy one, and that same call rests on our lives. High school is a unique time of finding purpose and meaning, and that tends to go hand in hand with seeking God’s call on our lives. As students discern where they feel God calling them, it’s important to remember that following Jesus is a journey and not a destination. With all the cultural pressures that exist on our students, the volunteers and I took some time to share about some of the ways that we are still wrestling with God’s call ourselves. We assured them that no matter what they feel called to or gifted in, if they live their lives for the glory of God, they are following a path towards Jesus. Luke 10 records an interaction Jesus has with a teacher of the Law where we hear the simple but profound call to love God and love others (and make disciples). No matter what your students do after high school, if they do it with God at the center, and with a love for people, and try to make disciples along the way - they are on God’s path. Next week we begin our Christian Sexuality curriculum by talking about the authority of God and Scripture! If you would like access to the entire curriculum, please email me and I will send you an invitation to view that! Otherwise, you can see the parent page HERE! Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful week!
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Hey parents!
Last night the high schoolers watched me throw all my plans out the window and we found ourselves reading from Philippians and praying for each other in Culvers over ice cream! Yesterday morning I chatted with a few students who were having less than wonderful weeks, and when I walked downstairs and saw a further 3 students who were obviously not having a great day, I felt like it might be a good day to focus on the people rather than the program. After floating the idea to a couple students I grabbed the van keys, loaded them into the vans, and off we went! Once we had made it to Culvers and ordered I read Philippians 2 as a devotional and challenged the students to continue looking for the interests of others throughout their week. We ate our ice cream, took prayer requests, and our students prayed for one another. It’s an honor to do ministry with your students, and I hope that interactions like these continue to reinforce the idea that faith is more than a set schedule or expectations, but a way of life. Next week we will be talking about temptation, and I will have some updates about the Christian Sexuality material! Have a wonderful week! Happy Monday!
Last night we ate some walking tacos, I was mocked for using a plate instead of a teeny tiny chip bag, Eli led us in some beautiful worship, we prayed together, and I went off script to tell a story about what I am learning right now. Some of you may have noticed that there wasn’t a parent email last week. Last Monday was a strange day in my life, and I have an overwhelming sense that God is teaching or revealing something to me. I walked into the office like usual, and Matthew wasn’t far behind me. We spent some time talking about ministry plans, measurable goals, and all sorts of things that were floating around our heads as we looked forward to the upcoming leadership retreat. Somewhere in that conversation, we both felt moved to pray for surrender and revival, so we did. I typically wouldn’t want to be the kind of person who tells a broad audience that “I pray, so im #holy” for fear that people would think I was bragging somehow. I share it here because that time of prayer shifted a block in the way that I think about youth ministry and has sent me hurtling down a path that has been filled with introspection, prayer, and so many excellent books. For years I have lived with this nagging sense that the Church was meant for more - specifically as it relates to youth and family ministry. I couldn't tell you what “more” was, or even what “more” might look like in practice, and even now as those feelings bubble back up I’m not sure that I have an answer. For the first time in my adult life though I am allowing myself to live in that uncomfortable tension of unknowing, where I would typically run from it and return to the comfort of status-quo youth ministry. How does this all relate to what we talked about Sunday night, or even NextGen ministry at Remembrance though? Well, on Sunday night I tried to share with the high schoolers what I feel God is teaching me. Story is an incredibly powerful tool and as I go through this season of learning, I wanted to invite our high schoolers (and you guys) to simply come with me and listen if you’re interested. I shared that one of the things I struggle with on a week to week basis is choosing the right words or the right phrases that I hope will resonate with students, and ultimately help them come into an encounter with the living God. I spend an embarrassing amount of time trying to put myself in the shoes of a high school or middle school student and then writing or re-writing the words that I think will help that student most clearly understand or comprehend a God who by his very nature cannot be fully understood or comprehended. When the night is over I'll typically spend the drive home thinking of ways I could have phrased something differently and kick myself for it. I’m not suggesting that the words are unimportant, or that trying to know or comprehend God is a futile exercise that we should abandon. On the contrary, one of my favorite things about being a Christian is coming up against this wall in my thinking about God and (instead of becoming frustrated that I can’t fully understand Him,) simply standing in wonder at how vast, good, beautiful, merciful, and rich He is. Words can’t even begin to capture the depth of feelings or the outpouring of worship that happens in that space. If there was a way to sit in that space with you and your students, I’m not sure that words would even be necessary. In a world where youth group is likely just one more thing that is piled onto the already mind-numbing list of obligations or expectations that are placed on our students, I want it to stand apart as a place of rest, belonging, and utmost value. A place that is centered on Christ, rooted deeply in the Word, and worshipful by nature. I’m not sure that is a space I can manufacture for our students, but I want to do everything in my power to make room for it. If you’re still reading this, bless you for your perseverance. My heart aches for revival and I have a deep sense that God is moving. At the end of all this rambling, I hope you feel similar stirrings. I’m beyond excited to see what God has in store for us this year, and I am honored to be surrounded by such great volunteers, parents, and students as we seek Him together. Next week we will return to our conversation about spiritual gifts, and I hope to see you at the parent meeting after the service this Sunday! Have a wonderful week |
AuthorI'm Noah. I like Jesus. Archives
November 2023
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